Of Stone
by gideondorf
Summary: Kili was looking for a little life to change his dark, boring world. Luckily for him, and unluckily for her, Tauriel was going to do just that for him. Kili/Tauriel Hades and Persephone AU Background Thilbo, Filiori, and Legolas and Tauriel friendship. Chapter 10 is up, and the story is now complete.
1. Chapter 1

Perhaps if he searched hard enough he would find Aule himself, or at least clues to where he'd went. He wondered through the darkness, cursing his own Maker simply because he had chosen to still make his people, the dwarves, when it would mean forcing them to remain in the lands of the dead, guarding the souls of the damned. The world he lived in was awful, cold and dark, and rarely could he ever go to the land of the good folk. Instead he had to remain near the entrance, near the cold river waters, where every soul came, good or bad, to be sorted. Why had he accepted Eru's offer? Did he really think his people deserved to exist like this?

After a while of walking, he stopped bothering to question his existence. There was no use. Eru had allowed his dwarves to be made, and since then his people had grown. Their numbers were small considering how hard reproduction was, but they still had a good deal considering they could never die. Eventually, they just picked up what they had and went on deeper into the mountain, to the halls of gems and gold, where they let it infest their minds and be the focus of their existence. He did not want to end up like that, but he didn't see the point of following in his uncle's footsteps either. After Thorin finally retired to the halls, his husband Bilbo would follow him, and either Frerin or Dis would follow after him. Then Fili would go, and then Kili. It was an endless cycle.

He followed the stone trails, exploring what could be called a mountain. It wasn't really one, but Aule had meant for his people to walk among the stone, to mine deeper inside veins of rock. Their land was designed like one.

He pulled himself on a set of stone, going higher. The road ahead crumbled, and though the fall wouldn't kill him, he didn't need the burden. The mountain went up forever until you eventually reached the surface. There were other ways up, but Kili liked the longest the best. It gave him more time to think, to let his smile crumble. Getting away from his family and duties meant he didn't have to keep the charade up.

His skin was scraped and stung slightly, but he barely noticed. His people were hardy, built to handle the world they lived in. Kili felt as though he wasn't designed well enough. Why couldn't he have at least the beginning of a proper beard? Why did he have such a small nose? Could he not have a bit more muscle?

One thing he did notice was the slight tear in his clothes. He looked down and frowned. Someone would have a fit about that later, say that ripped clothing wasn't proper for a dwarf of his standing.

The air grew even colder as he climbed up. He bit his lip and shivered, but kept going. He'd done this before, and he was sure that he would keep it doing it for a long time. The thought pushed him forward.

* * *

The surface was a forest. Over the years, it had grown darker and darker, to the point where it could resemble the world below. Kili walked through it, his bow and arrow ready in case of sudden attack. He was careful to not alert his presence or let others know what he was. Sometimes he would see others; they used to run around, free of weapons, frolicking alongside the animals and playing in the grass. As time went on, however, less and less came, and they always had weapons with them.

Two were out at the moment, shooting spiders. They hadn't noticed Kili, and he planned to keep it that way.

One was a blond haired man, angrily shooting. He spoke out orders, and the girl beside him followed them. He wore finer looking clothes then she did.

The girl was slightly shorter than him, much taller than Kili, and just as determined to kill the spiders as him. Kili could see very little of her face, blocked by red hair that went passed her knees. Even with the minimal light, there was still something in it that shined.

Quietly, he followed along the two as they walked, watching them destroy spiders. Somewhere along, he learned their names. The man was "Legolas" and the girl was "Tauriel". She showed him respect, making Kili wonder just what position he had. Other than that, he barely focused on him. Despite his position, Tauriel had a much better aim than him and shot more spiders.

When he first saw her face, once he was safely in the shadows, pure awe radiated through him. She was beautiful, no matter how un-dwarvish she was. There was something about her cold eyes, smooth face, and pointed ears that made him desire her. She held herself up with pride, and hardly ever missed a shot.

* * *

The tension between them vanished after they finished shooting. It was such a relief to relax, to not worry so much. She was starving, and pulled an apple out of her pack. Legolas pulled a flask of water from his supplies and took a long sip.

"I shot more than you," she said.

He laughed. "You could never."

"I did. You need to realize that." She pointed back towards the deeper part of the forest. "Do I need to start dragging around the remains of spiders to prove it? I can go back and get a few."

"Of course not! That would be disgusting. I have had enough of the damn things."

"I understand." The more and more that they fought the spiders, the more that there seemed to be. "Legolas, may I ask you something?"

He smiled at her, but anyone could have seen that the smile was fake. "Yes."

"Do you think that we will ever defeat the spiders and finally make things right?"

The smile after that question made the first one look genuine. "Of course we will. They cannot live forever." No, but they could reproduce.

Legolas walked a little faster. "Come on, we need to get home soon or my father will have a fit. After this, we deserve something good to eat."

Tauriel took another bite of her apple. As captain of the guard, she was served the finest food alongside royalty, a far cry from the berries and nuts that she had eaten as a child. It seemed that the cost of fine food and living was the loss of Greenwood to the darkness. She began to eat faster and faster, eating with desperation. She couldn't keep up with Legolas.

Even he was giving up. How could they ever let evil go on like this? Why had they allowed it to become stronger than them?

She was snapped out of her thoughts by something pushing her forward, wrapping what she thought was arms around her. Suddenly, it felt as though the ground weren't under her feet any longer. Just as quickly, she began to fall, the apple (now nothing but a core) leaving her hand. Her scream filled her ears.

The last she saw of Legolas was his blue eyes wide, filled to the brim with terror.

* * *

Kili fell onto the rock below, clutching the girl to his chest. She hung limp in his arms, passed out. He ran a finger gently through her red hair, and then over her smooth face. She would wake up eventually.

Until then, he needed to get home.


	2. Chapter 2

He watched her carefully, making sure that she continued to breathe. How did she do it? His kind had no need to. But then again, they didn't have hearts either. If he did, he was sure that his would be beating rapidly against his chest. The anxiety of taking her to his room without getting noticed by anyone had been hard, and he'd been careful to make sure that she didn't accidentally get her hurt. She still showed no signs of waking, and Kili's mind wondered over the idea of if she ever would.

If she didn't, she would die. Surely that would wake her spirit. He didn't know what he'd do if she remained asleep much longer; he couldn't stay inside much longer. Already, he'd had to get Fili to leave him alone. His brother had brushed him off as being angry over breaking something he owned. A few clumsy accidents made his brother think that he was an idiot, and he'd offered to get him a broom. But it had gotten his brother off of his tail, and he'd managed to not make a rude comment about his relationship with the royal scribe.

Now all he had to do was wait. She had to wake up sometime. If he had to, he'd force her awake.

The thought grew in his mind, took control of it. Yes, she would wake up. It was no longer a question of when. No, she would, and if he had to, he would make her. But as of then, he allowed her just a little longer to rest.

* * *

The forest was vast and dark, and surprisingly free of spiders. She wondered through it, bow ready in case that she needed to attack. The air had a slight smell to it, as though it had rained earlier. However, the dark soil beneath her feet looked incredibly dry, or at least what she could see of it. Where was her lantern? Had she left it with Legolas? Speaking of him, where was her friend? She called out for him, noticing that her voice was slightly hoarse. She called again, hoping that he could somehow hear her. He wasn't the type to make a joke such as this. Turning in all directions, she looked for the light of a lantern. There was none. There were no spiders either, only silence.

The forest suddenly seemed larger, as ridiculous as that sounded. She'd grown up in it, and when the elves had begun to enter Thranduil's halls to hide from the growing darkness, she had been one of the few allowed to still enter the forest freely. Even then, after it had changed so much, it had never felt this vast. There had been a faint, distant familiarity despite it being so different from the lush, beautiful green forest from before.

Her mind left behind the issue of the spiders and the darkness around her. What really mattered was her finding her friend and the two getting back to Thranduil. If either were lost... She shook the thought away. It was best not to let anxiety rush through her while she was already in a bad enough situation. With quick, silent movements she forced herself forward step by step. She wasn't sure if this forward would take her back to the halls of Thranduil or deeper in the forest, but every direction was a gamble. The only thing that she could do was go forward and hope that she had luck.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, it was less dark. Her mind was foggy, trying to recall what had happened. She had been in the forest all alone with no lantern, surrounded by darkness. Where had Legolas been? She didn't remember him being there. There had been spiders, but maybe there hadn't. Her mind wondered over the few images that she had of the encounter, but she couldn't think of anything remotely involving spiders. Odd, that was what she expected most.

Her eyes wondered over where she was. It certainly didn't feel like the forest, nor did it feel like the inside of her room. It didn't look like it either. It was too dark, too face was cold, but her body was warm. Her eyes wondered over blankets made of a material that she couldn't identify. So that was what she had felt on her chest.

Then her mind snapped back together. She shot up straight, looking around. Wherever she was, it didn't feel real. It was too grand, even for someone of her own standing. It appeared to be made of stone, and had various artwork hung on the wall. Jewelry littered the tops of various stone drawers and some spilled onto the floor. A large mirror was on one side of the room, reflecting herself and the top of the head of someone else. She was on a large bed. Her head shifted to look at the person hiding beneath the side of her bed, the tip of his head visible. Some of her hair had spilled onto the side, and their fingers were touching the very edge of her red hair.

He had dark hair, stubble, and wide brown eyes. She couldn't tell his exact size, but she was sure that she was taller than him. From the look on his face, she knew that something was very wrong. He had a slightly muscular build, and the muscles he did have were firm. Surely he would be strong enough to pick her up if he pleased.

The questions hanging in her mind answered herself. There was no bow in her hand and no arrows on her back.

It went against everything that she had been thought, but it seemed to be the only rational thing that she could do. She opened her mouth as wide as she possibly could and screamed.

* * *

"Please calm down," Kili shouted, grabbing her shoulders. "Please, please, please calm down." He forced a smile. "I'm not going to hurt you. Nothing bad is going to happen to you." She pulled away from him, hitting her shoulder against his bed frame. She reached out a hand and held it.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

There were tears at the edges of her eyes. Without thinking, he reached out and wiped one away. She screamed again before she brought up one leg, still covered in his own blankets, and kicked him straight in the jaw. Pain riled through him, but he didn't pass out. He looked at her, wondering what to do. Someone would come, and everything would go wrong.

"Please stop."

She tried to kick him again, but he moved out of the way. If she wanted him to pass out like she had, then she would fail. Ignoring the pain he felt (it would heal), he reached out and firmyl locked his hands on her shoulders. "Please, stop screaming. I won't hurt you."

Footsteps echoed throughout the hall, along with the sound of a loud and familiar voice. "Kili, what in Aule's name is going on?"

He couldn't think of anything to say to his uncle for once.


	3. Chapter 3

Perhaps it was shame he felt, perhaps it was fear. He had never known how to feel around his uncle, as cold as the stone that he lived under. His blue eyes were on him and Tauriel, who had the blankets wrapped around her. It should have hit him that he needed to get her warmer clothes.

But there was no time to do that. Thorin's eyes wondered over to her, and pure hate flashed through them. From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw her pale.

Fili rushed inside, pushing past some of the shocked guards and servants near the door. By the time he arrived, he was panting and red in the face. He hardly noticed himself, just stared up at Kili and then the girl next to him. His jaw dropped, but he did nothing else. There was no anger, no demands of what was going on.

"Kili," Thorin said, voice as hard as his punishments, "what is going on? Who is she? What is she here for?"

"Please, Uncle Thorin, I can explain-"

"By Aule, you better be able to!" He eyed Tauriel. "Did you bring her here?"

"Yes, but I can explain-"

"And you will." He turned to a few of the servant women. "See to it that she gets changed." He motioned to Kili to come over to him. "While my nephew and I have a chat with each other, please make sure that she does not cause another incident. There are more than enough spare rooms."

Those last words would have stopped Kili's heart had he had one.

* * *

She did not know where she was going, nor what the dwarves around her were saying. She had thought that they were myths, something told to frighten children or to comfort the dying. Never had she thought that they were actually real, even when she had been at the age that those stories had been told her. Now, they were touching her shoulder, firmly moving her down hallway after hallway. Whatever language they spoke, there was no chance that Tauriel could decipher even a word of it. But they were talking about her, they must have.

Perhaps she was dead. It was a cruel thought, but it made sense. Perhaps she had died in Mirkwood and the dwarfhad simply taken her to the land of the dead. No, would Eru ever allow that?

Tauriel forced back a sob.

Perhaps those stories she had heard about Thranduil being an enemy with dwarves was not just a legend. She had served him for years, never once questioned him for his ways were just, and yet now her mind was spinning with conspiracies. What if?

After what seemed like hours of walking, the women led her to a door. They opened it, revealing a moderate sized room. What it lacked in size, it made up for in luxury. Her stomach twisted. What the dwarf man had said earlier, the one who had resembled Kili, whatever he spoke must have been important. Though she never wanted to see the dwarf from earlier again, some part of her feared the elder one more. There had been something in his eyes when he had looked at her, something hard in his voice. Had he even known how to speak common? The other dwarf had.

One of the women said something, and Tauriel did not respond. How was she supposed to? The woman repeated herself, and Tauriel just stared at her. Finally, the women just came up to her and began to measure her. She was still cold, and as two of them left, the lightest haired of three let her curl up onto the bed.

She asked in both common and elvish if this was her room. The woman looked confused and gave what looked like an apologetic smile. Well, at least she knew how Tauriel had felt earlier.

When the other women came back, they brought with them heavy robes that were still a bit too small for her. They were too extravagant, too unfit for both her taste and what she needed to get done. But then again, could she ever go back to being the captain of the guards?

* * *

Thorin absently eyed Kili's room. "And why is she here? What made you think that you could just grab an immortal and make off with them?"

Kili laughed. Normally, he would never so much as do it in front of his uncle, but then it seemed like the right thing. "Uncle, I was just doing what you did."

Thorin frowned. "Bilbo was dead, Kili. I have seen immortals die before, and she did not look dead. If you had least gotten her when she died..." He sighed. "Did I cause this? Your mother always said you two would try to imitate me."

For a moment, Kili was silent. What Dis said was her own business. "No, I did it for myself."

For a moment, Thorin just stared at him.

"You never expected to hear that, did you?" All the jokes, all the attempts to get attention, everything to be seen as a good son and nephew, but not too good, no that was for Fili, but good enough. The clumsy one, the one who regularly broke things. Who would have thought that he could think for himself? "Look, I wanted her so I took her. Is that not what you do? You wanted the hobbit, you got the hobbit. You wanted more gold? The kingdom is flooded in gold. You want the Arkenstone? You took the jewel from your grandfather himself while he lusted over it." He clenched his fists. "All I wanted was her!"

He frowned. "I see." He folded his hands together. "I will not deny you. Fili has the scribe wrapped around him, I have the halfling, so you surely deserve someone of your own. I only ask one thing of you."

"What?"

"Kill her." He smirked. "You need not look so afraid. Do you not even know your own name? Get her to eat something and she will be exactly like us. That really should not be so hard. Perhaps she has already eaten something. I remember it as though it was just yesterday. Bilbo was crying about some hobbits named Belladonna and, and... I cannot remember the name of the other. Either way, I could not stand it. I had a feast made for him, and he ultimately caved in. The legendary hunger of hobbits is no mere legend. She if an elf, so I suggest giving her something green. She will stuff her face before she ever realizes just what it means."

* * *

The lighter haired woman handed her a bowl of soup, with more meat than anything else in it. Tauriel brought up a small spoonful of it to her nose and sniffed it. She dropped the spoon back inside, and then handed it back. Whatever that was, she would not eat it.


	4. Chapter 4

When she came back, he did not hide his admiration. His eyes fell over her long hair, held back by a silver dwarven hair clasp that glittered slightly under the light. Her eyes were not on him, and her lips were turned downwards. But that could be changed.

Could it not?

The dwarf robe was not her size, though Kili could understand why. She was too large, and there were no other Big Folk there. She had a shawl on to cover her arms. Even from their distance, he could see the goosebumps covering her pearl white legs. The robe itself was colored green with silver embroidery on its side. Funny how he had not realized it was one of his many, one that had gotten lost in the depths of his wardrobe, never to be worn until now by another.

She looked much better with it than he probably ever would have. He licked his lips.

"You look beautiful." The words slipped from his lips without him even realizing it. But he spoke the truth. His hands shook at his side, ready to touch the elf in front of him.

She did not thank him, did not smile, did not make even the slightest response, positive or not.

* * *

Training had taught her to remain cool and composed. Though at times she might have gotten a little too fired up, she still had to at least keep some calm to her. Spiders were not creatures to be reasoned with.

In the back of her mind, she wondered what life was like back in Mirkwood. Funny how it had slipped her mind. How much time had passed? Surely it had only been a few days since she met the dwarf who called himself Kili, though sometimes it felt as though she had known him for years. That was not a good thing.

But really, how was Legolas doing? Thranduil? Had Legolas had to stop one of his father's parties by himself? That certainly would have been quite painful for him. The hangover surely would not be pretty either. Was Thranduil still killing off his line of stags so that he could decorate his throne room? Were the prison guards still slacking off and getting drunk while on their shift? Those thoughts took her away from the food placed in front of her. There was something about the dwarf food that she did not like, though she could not understand just what. It was not as though she did not eat meat; she had a taste for lamb when cooked and spiced well, and squirrel tasted wonderful once one learned to get used to the taste. However, this meat was too large, too red, and too much of every meal. She had not one seen one single green food on any of her plates, and plate after plate of food was coming to her faster and faster. Kili seemed to have made it his life mission to get her to eat.

She had gotten her clothes and supplies back from him, with a little convincing. Though she never had reason to wear her old clothes, she still had her spare food. However, rationing could only last so long, and already she had eaten her apples. Eventually, all else would go bad.

She did not know what would happen to her after that.

Her stomach twisted, and had she had more to eat, surely she would have vomited. Kili sat next to her piling food into his mouth. When he finished chewing, he spoke. "Can you eat just a little? Could you please just taste it?" He still had sauce on the edge of his lips.

She did not reply, just stared down at the plates in front of her. The food had started as meat, gone to bread and buttered rolls, and finally to cakes and something that Kili had called chocolate. She did not so as much as touch any of it. Even if she did, she did not think that she could keep it down.

"Please?" She almost wanted to laugh at his desperation. Did he think he could just bring her down here and tell her what to do?

Her mind shifted back to Mirkwood. Her heart sank; if something had happened there, she had no idea what she could do to help. She probably could not do anything, and ever would again.

"Anything you want," he offered. "They will cook or bake you anything."

"I am not hungry."

* * *

He could feel Fili's eyes on him. He sighed and collapsed onto the chair across from him.

"What seems to be bothering you?" He raised a blond eyebrow.

Kili snorted. "As if you would not know."

Fili absently fingered the tassels on the end of his scarf. "You are correct. Why would I not? It is only the biggest gossip in Erebor!"

"She will not even eat what I offer her. I told her yesterday that I would give her any material possession that she wanted, and I am taking her training with me so that she can shoot again tomorrow. Why then does she hate me?"

Fili said nothing. There was no emotion in his eyes. Before, there would have been something. Now, it almost felt as though he were speaking with a stranger.

"What you and Ori have, how are you two so close?"

Fili chuckled. "I could not pollute your innocent mind."

For the first time in the last few days, Kili truly smiled. "Oh, I already know. So you have been ignoring a few royal duties."

"Do not tell Thorin."

"I would never." He bit his lip. "But how does Ori love you? I know you are kind to him, and I have been nothing but kind to Tauriel."

"Perhaps it is because Ori returns my feelings."

"But she will! I swear!"

Fili sighed. "Look, just keep trying. When you have something, do not let it go. I would never give up Ori for anything."

Kili nodded. "Should I prove that to her?"

"As long as you do not get yourself injured in the process."

"You know that it will heal."

"Yes, but you will look ridiculous."

* * *

He collapsed onto his bed, leaning into his pillow. Across a few hallways was the elf girl. What he would have given for her to be there next to him. But, if the state of things like this kept up, this was how it would remain. With a heavy sigh, he pulled the covers over himself. He would take Fili's advice, but he would still suffer through the wait.

His thoughts were a mess of scattered ideas. One moment he was thinking of his duties, the next his brother, his brother's own happy relationship, his uncle, his mother, and finally to Tauriel herself. What did he have to prove?

His hands wondered from his side to his pants. For a while, he was limp, more scratching himself than anything. However, treasure was something earned. His mind began to imagine things, and slowly he warmed up to the idea of waiting, if only to make what he saw in his mind real.


	5. Chapter 5

He watched her with a sharp eye. She moved so naturally, pulling back her arrow before firing. Kili had spent all morning setting up targets, and she had not disappointed. She moved with grace, and with every footstep she barely made a sound. The worst part was how easy that she made it look; he had spent years training, forcing himself to keep getting better.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Would you like to have a competition?"

She jumped.

"I apologize," he said. "I should not have disturbed you when you were so busy..."

She frowned, clutching the arrow in her free hand tighter. If she did that any harder, it would break. "A competition?"

"Yes," he said. He looked away from her. "Just to see who can hit more targets."

"What for?" Her eyes narrowed. "What is a competition without a prize?"

His mind raced. "If I win..." He bit his lip. "If I win, then you have to eat tonight. I promise that you will only eat the best."

She raised an eyebrow. "You want me to eat? That is all?"

"For your health. Eating is healthy. I will let you eat anything!"

She nodded. "That is all you want?"

"Yes."

"And if I win? What do I get?"

"Then you do not have to eat."

"I thought you were concerned about my health."

He gripped his bow tighter. "Well what else would you want?" Anger rushed through him. He had already offered her anything.

"I want to go back home to Mirkwood."

He scowled. "Why?"

"It is my home."

"Why else?" He gripped his bow. "What would ever make you want to go back there? I went there myself; it was awful." What was there that made her want to stay? Spiders were disgusting, and there were none in Erebor. She was safe in its walls.

Oh, he realized. No wonder she wanted to go back.

She did not respond, just glared at him.

"You know what? I will change the rewards for this." He grinned. "If I win, you do not have to eat. But if I do win, you have some questions to answer for me. You must be truthful. How does that sound?"

"What do I get if I win? Do I get to go home?" Maybe it was just the lighting, but he thought he saw her smile.

"No." He clenched his teeth. "If you win then..."

"Then what? What is the point of doing this if I will not even win anything? I want to go home!"

"You do not get to decide this!" Why did he not just shoot her dead at the spot? Then it would never matter if she ate or not.

But, some rational part of his mind thought, but if I do, she will always hate me. Fili would never hurt Ori.

"Is there anything else that you want?" He forced a smile. "Anything in the world?"

"If I win then you leave me alone for a while. I am so tired of being around you every damn second."

"Deal!" The words left his lips before he could even think about what he had said, or what she actually meant.

"Funny, I thought that I did not get to decide this." There was no trick of light; she smirked.

He scowled again. "Do you agree?"

"Yes."

* * *

He was good, better than Legolas. They were nearly at a tie.

Sometimes, he would ask her how she did it. She did not reply; the secrets she learned while training remained secrets, even if they were as simple as envisioning the targets as spiders. That was what had helped her get her position back in Mirkwood, her ability to kill spiders. And if he got his way and won, that would probably be one thing she would be forced to reveal.

She finished her last shot. All that mattered was what Kili did after her.

He tensed, looking at her and then where she had just shot. He muttered something under his breath, something that sounded like the dwarf language. Ever since she had found herself surrounded by them, she had been hearing it everywhere. As much as she tried to decipher the words, or at least get an idea of what they meant, she could not. They spoke in hushed tones, and openly acknowledged the fact that she could not understand it. She was desperate to prove them wrong, to at least get a basic grasp on it to make them angry. If they thought words of all things could intimidate her, then they were wrong.

He fired.

Tauriel's heart skipped a beat; somehow, with his bow that seemed more like a toy, and his poor stance, he had still somehow beat her.

He turned to her, a wide grin crossing his entire face. "I won."

* * *

She polished her bow in silence.

"You promised to answer my questions."

"I already did."

"That was one question, and you-"

"I did speak truthfully! That blond haired one you mentioned? We are not courting! He is my friend, and he is a better man than you."

"But you were-"

"I do not know how your race interacts, but he and I were partners, friends. He would no sooner court me then he would a dwarf."

"Then why do you want to go back to Mirkwood?"

She scowled. "Who do you take me for, a hopeless romantic? Mirkwood is my home! I have a job there! Someone has to kill the damn spiders. My people need me."

"Job?" He had known she was important, but she had refused his answers before when he questioned her.

"Captain of the guard."

"Captain of the guard?"

"What did you think I was? A damned elven princess?"

"No, I just-"

"I gave up nearly everything for that position. I had to prove myself to get that position, and every day I still had to prove that I was the best. If you ever think that I had things easy, then you are wrong. That blond one? I was lucky to be his friend. He was the prince. Normally, he would not have spoken to someone as low as me. But I worked my way up, and I got what came with it." She pointed straight at him. "Here is an answer to one of your questions. Do you know why I hate you, dwarf? Because you took that away from me."


	6. Chapter 6

She had never been one to read. For years, she had not even known how to. When she'd finally gotten a solid education with her position, she had only learned to read common and Sindarin. The books in this library were not even in a tongue she could decipher. It had taken another competition to allow herself some alone time, and some rules, but at least she did not have the prince watching her move every moment.

The library was cold and nearly empty, save a small few others. She avoided them, hiding deeper in a section of Khuzdul books. Though she could not read the letters, she opened a page when someone passed and pretended that she could. Tauriel half expected for Kili to suddenly appear and say over her shoulder that she could not read it. However, the only one around was her, and the creature that had walked past was gone. With a sigh, she shut the old tome and put it away. She began to walk around once more, looking for something that she could actually read. Though she had never been a heavy reader, this was one of her only ideas to pass the time, and one of the few places Kili would allow her to go without a guard. At first, she had been curious, but now could clearly see why.

When she got back to the front, she began to look around. The shelves were made of polished stone, tall and sturdy. There were rolling ladders set around for anyone who could not reach a certain book, and even Tauriel, who stood tall among such a small race, could not reach the top shelves. She had to admit, the most scholarly of elves would cry from happiness if they saw this library.

Until, of course, they learned of the fact that likely all the books were in the secret language of the dwarves. Tauriel had questioned Kili on if the she could be given lessons on it, grudgingly admitting that she would need to know it if she were to stay. He remained firm that there was no chance that she would ever leave, and nothing would convince him otherwise. No one else was interested in sending her home, so she was left to fend off against what must have been the most stubborn of all races.

"Excuse me," a voice from behind her said, "but are you in need of help?"

She turned around, eyes wide, reaching for a knife that was not there. The dwarf jumped away from her with a startled squeak, their face paling. With a heavy sigh, Tauriel relaxed her position. The dwarf truly looked harmless, with calm eyes, ginger hair, and the beginning of a beard. They did not look very old, and looked even younger than Kili and his brother.

"I apologize," she said. The only reason she did so was because the dwarf had the brains to fear her and what she could do to him. She had been prepared for times when there was no need for a knife. And unlike most dwarves, he did not have a weapon on him. For once, she was glad to be around someone who she could actually overpower. Kili even took his weapons with him when he bathed (a fact that she wished that she did not know).

"Oh, I apologize for startling you." He bowed to her. "Ori, son of Elori, at your service." He smiled.

She did not bow. "Tauriel."

"I have heard of you from Fili."

She eyed the beads in the braids of his beard. They looked familiar. "And I of you."

"Was it from Kili? He usually makes me sound awful."

"He mentioned very little of you, not much beyond that you and his brother are courting."

"Are you sure he did not sneak in a rude comment?"

"I am sure."

He smiled. "Well, that is wonderful, and rather unexpected news to hear." He chuckled. "Enough about me. As I said earlier, are you in need of help? If you want to find something, I am sure that I can help you. If you would like to look over the catalogs, I can show you where they are located. Or if you are looking for a certain section, I can help you find that. If you are not too busy then perhaps I could give you a tour. And do not worry, I would be happy to give you one."

"No, I do not need that." She forced a smile. "Do you have a section in Sindarin?"

He shook his head. "I am sorry."

She tried to hide her frustration. What did she expect, for these creatures to have a whole section devoted to elvish literature in elvish?

"What do you have in common?"

"Oh, we have more than a few sections of that. Please follow me." He led the way, pointing out a few sections as they passed by. They took their time, and Ori even waved out to someone named Bilbo who was looking over the shelves. Once she had seen everything, she decided to actually look around at what was available.

She selected a few books of elvish poetry. It had never been something she had enjoyed, but she was surprised that it was even there, and took what she could. She balanced them in her arms and walked to where the younger dwarf had been earlier.

"Excuse me," another voice said. Tauriel looked over to the speaker, and this time did not attack. Even if she wanted to, she would have to drop her books first.

"Hello," she stated. This creature was not a dwarf, but not an elf either. She had heard of them once; she thought that they were called halflings.

"Bilbo," he said. "I am Bilbo. Have you heard of me?"

"You are Thorin's husband, are you not?"

She nodded. "I have heard of you."

"I just wanted to say that Kili is not as bad as he seems. I understand what you are going through perfectly, swear that I do. It took me a while to get over my anger on Thorin, but once it went away things were fine. I swear that it will be. In fact, things will be wonderful. Thorin is so generous to me, and he is so kind-"

"Kind?" Were they discussing the same dwarf? If there was anyone that she disliked more than Kili, it was Thorin. She did not know how that was possible, but it was.

"Yes." He spoke on, completely sure of himself. "He treats me well and would never let harm fall on me." Tauriel noticed the robes he wore. The cloth was completely blue, the same that Thorin had worn. There was gold thread stitched along it in symbols that had covered his own clothing and helmet. They made the thick green and silver robes that Kili had forced Tauriel to wear look like nothing (and she had agreed, if only to get away from him). Bilbo's very clothing was a testimony of extravagance.

She did not allow him to finish. Was this what she was doomed to become: hopelessly defensive of someone so despicable? Would this be her fate? She did not respond to his calls, and said nothing further to him. If he wanted to believe that Thorin was wonderful, then fine. She did not have the power to save him. It was not Bilbo's fault that he was that way, but she was not going to let the same thing happen to her. Luckily, she still had the chance to escape that fate.

Did she not?

Her stomach rumbled. Once she got back to her room, she would eat a little more of the food that she still had. Her supplies were nearly all gone.


	7. Chapter 7

She had eaten very little before she came, but she forced herself to make it enough. Lately, it had become harder to stand, and even harder to ignore the grumble of her stomach. But she would not eat the dwarf food. Though she could not place just what was wrong with it, she knew that there was something not right about it. And she did not want to know.

Everyone else ate heartily. Bilbo had made no comment to her that night; perhaps he had already forgotten about what occurred earlier. Already, he was busy eating away. He had finished off three plates of food, and a servant was coming with his fourth. Ori had smiled at her and she had nodded back. Kili had given her a curious look, but that was all.

Thorin sat at the head of the table. He too was eating, stuffing meat into his face. He ate with precision, timing his bites, and cutting his meat in equal sized pieces. His cold eyes would occasionally run over the table, as if he thought that everyone would just vanish. Kili did not seem bothered and continued to eat. Every once in a while, he would not so subtly push a plate of food towards her, and she would just as subtly push it back. At first, everyone's eyes fell over them, but soon enough they stopped looking.

The silence was suffocating. The only sound she could hear was of chewing, and the clink of eating utensils on plates. All she wanted was to get away, and quickly. Her stomach rumbled again; she could not keep this up forever.

* * *

She had tried talking to Dis, hoping that if anyone had any sense it would be her. Surely she would not allow her son to do something so terrible. But she had simply brushed Tauriel off when she went to speak with her. Tauriel did not even get one word out before the woman ignored her.

She did not try to find pity; there was none. With a sigh, she walked back to the library.

* * *

He visibly ran his eyes over her, stopping in certain places for a bit too long. "You look awful."

"Oh, thank you." She sneered. "You look rather dead."

He frowned. "Tauriel, you need to eat something."

She still had some supplies left. If she could just figure a way out, then she could go home.

"Are you sick?"

She groaned. "I am still standing." It was hard, but she could still do it.

"Really, if you need medicine or-"

"I am perfectly healthy!" She stepped forward. "Do I look like I am going to collapse at any second?"

He shut his eyes. "Really, I do not mean you any harm. I just want you to be healthy."

"I am healthy." She ground her teeth together. "I am so healthy that I could beat you in archery."

She expected him to defend himself, to tell her that she was wrong, or at least that it would be a close match. However, all he did was silently lean down and pick up his quiver full of arrows and his bow. "Come on. This time, we do the original prizes. If you win then you do not have to eat. If I win, you do."

* * *

It was the final shot; if she got this then she won. At first, Kili had gone above his regular skills (Tauriel refused to believe that she was doing worse), but she had caught up. With a slightly trembling hand, she released her arrow. The only noise was what it made as it hit the target. After that, all she could hear was her rapid heartbeat.

"You missed," he said. "You barely even got the edge of the target, and you were lucky for that." He walked over to her and touched her arm. "If you need help on how to stand, then just-"

"I do not need your help." She glared at him. "That was my own accident." Before he could gloat about his victory, she left him.

"Tauriel, where are you going?" Perhaps, if he were different, she would have believed that the concern in his voice was genuine.

"It does not matter. I promise that I will be on time for dinner."

* * *

"Will any of you listen to me?" Legolas roared. These training soldiers might as well have been children, and considering some of their ages probably were. How the hell did Tauriel put up with this every day? Sge gad complained about it, but he had never imagined that it could be as bad as she described it to be. "I am Thranduil's son! I could have your lives for this!"

That quieted them down.

"I know that recently we have been having problems with fighting spiders and finding a new position for the captain of the guard." The words felt wrong to say. He half expected for Tauriel to just stroll back in and say that she was back. Sometimes she dived headfirst into bad situations, and she always managed to get herself back out. Some part of him wanted to believe that she was fine; another part of him, a part that actually was thinking clearly, realized how foolish this was. She had not jumped headfirst into a terrible decision; she had been forcibly dragged in by something else.

He just wished that he knew what.

"Now," he said, "if we are to kill the spiders, we must work as a group. I know some of you are having trouble with this." He leaned his head down, looking at all the Silvan elves below him in the eye. "Do not ever think that just because you have a bow does not mean that they will not kill you. Every day, me and my trusted group of elves risked our lives. Many have fallen to spiders, and others we cannot even be sure. All we know is that this was once a prosperous wood, green and full of life. Now, are you going to help us return this to that?"

The cheers afterwards brought him no comfort.

If any men fell, which many probably would, then he would just not hold it against himself.


	8. Chapter 8

They never did make it to dinner.

"You look sick," he commented, placing a hand on her forehead. He pulled off his jacket, and she took it from him. Not one protest left her lips. The sound of her teeth chattering did. Despite how cold she was, her temperature was incredibly high. "I knew that this was going to happen." He wanted to make a joke, to say something to lighten her mood, but he could not think of anything.

When they got back to her room, he tucked her in. "I will go get you something."

She shook her head. "No, sleep..." Her eyes shut.

"Tauriel, you need to eat something!" She was not supposed to die this way.

"Sleep-"

"Tauriel! What do you want to eat? Anything in the world, I'll get it for you!"

"Sleep."

"Anything! What do you want?"

* * *

She had not tasted pomegranates in a long time. They were a distant memory from her childhood, back when her parents had still been alive. Though she could not remember the exact taste, she remembered the memory that went along with it. It had been such a happy time, a time that she would have given anything to have back.

In truth, she did not taste what Kili fed her. She did not open her eyes, did not respond to his questions. She forced herself to forget about him, to not think about her current predicaments. All she had on her mind was her own memories, of those perfect times from before. Her mother was aiming her bow, showing her how to fire it. The pomegranates were a special treat to help celebrate her birthday, and the bow was her gift. It was certainly not of the finest quality, nor was it for anything but practice, but it was the greatest gift that she had ever received. She had wrapped her small arms around the waists of her mother and father and pulled them close. For the first time in a long time, she had a happy dream. The memory extended, went on into places that had never happened, the happier time that never was. But Tauriel did not know that, and simply let the dream play out. Somehow, Legolas and Thranduil came into it as well, but they were younger as well. Somehow, a shooting competition occurred and no one won, and that was all the better. There were no risks, no prizes.

And then, like a cold winter after a blossoming spring and a bright summer, it ended. Her eyes opened, hours after the dream started, and she found herself back in her room in Erebor. Everything was still and quiet, the furniture glittering, the air cold. Tauriel forced her eyes shut once more, but she had slept enough.

There was a plate of pomegranates on her bedside table and a note begging for her to eat more. The taste of them from hours before was still on her tongue. She reached out to grab one, but stopped herself. Kili had written that he had only been able to get down six seeds and some juice. Her stomach twisted.

If she ate more, she was sure that things would only get worse. She curled up deeper into the blankets, forcing her memories out of her mind. That was all those things were: memories and dreams.

* * *

"Shhh," he whispered, trying to imitate what his older brother had done when Kili himself had been sad. "Please do not cry. I promise that things are fine."

She continued to cry. He ran his thumb over her cheek, across a cold tear.

He searched his mind for something to say, but the truth was that he did not know what she was even crying about. He had simply come inside to find her crying. "Shhhh," he said again. "Do you need anything?" From the corner of his eye, he noticed the uneaten food. He wrapped his arms around her tighter and pulled her closer. For the longest time she cried in his shoulder.

"I want-" She never finished her sentence. Instead, she simply crumpled into his arms and cried. He wanted to be happy that he had her, that she had not pushed him away, but he could not. In fact, he was sure that what she had was contagious. Kili too wanted to cry.

"Shhhh... I am here." When he had been smaller, scared of things that now did not bother him in the slightest, the fact that his big brother was there for him had been a comfort. He gently ran a few fingers through her long hair. It felt so smooth and silky. He rubbed it through his fingers, admiring its texture. Fili had done the same.

Eventually, she stopped crying. For the longest time, her forehead remained rested against his shoulder. After a while, he gently pulled her face to his and met her lips. He ignored her weak protest and held her firm. She struggled harder, and he held her even tighter.

She stilled.

When he had been a little boy, his brother had kissed him. Never on the lips, but on the cheek or forehead or where he got hurt. If he wanted to comfort her, then surely he had to do this to get it right.

"Are you feeling any better?"

She did not respond, but that was alright. When he had been little, he had usually not known how to reply either.

* * *

His father was drinking his wine a little too heavily again. Despite Legolas's numerous protests, Thranduil did not listen to him. If something happened...

It would not be my fault, Legolas thought. It truly would not. He is responsible for his own actions.

But still, he wished that there was something that he could do. Everything was going wrong, and he just wanted to be able to do something right. Not even multiple things right, but just one, just to prove that it could still be done.

When a servant offered him a glass of wine, he refused. He had tried it a few times before and never enjoyed the bitter taste. When he needed to, he would drink, but that was rare. He and his group rarely drank, let alone to an excess. Tauriel had entered a few drinking competitions and won most of them, but she always regretted them.

The drunker his father got, the more gibberish he spouted. Did he really believe that Tauriel had been captured by dwarves? Next he would be saying that he was going to replace his elk with mythical half creatures of two different animal species.

A few more times he was offered drink. As always, he refused. He did not want to reach the point that his father did.

Though, sometimes, he was slightly tempted. But, as always, reason won out. While his father drank, he thought over those who had offered to replace Tauriel's position as captain of the guard. Some had more promise than others, though he could not say that there were any that he personally liked. They lacked the spirit.

His mind flashed to images of a once green forest. It seemed as mythical as the creatures his father slurred of.


	9. Chapter 9

"You can make your own arrows?" He peered over her shoulders. He had been curious on just what was taking her so long; he plopped down next to her and stared down at her lap.

"Do you think that they just magically appear? I do not know of any wizard who makes arrows." She wiped the ends with a cloth. They were not the fanciest that he had ever seen, but they could certainly cause damage to what they hit. "My comrades and I were taught how to make arrows when we were children in case of emergencies. I was bored, and there was no lack of metal here, so I decided to test to see if I could still do it. I have not lacked arrows in a while, but it is always good to have the skill. This can also be done with rocks, though metal is much more effective."

He reached out and touched the arrow. Tauriel did not bat his hand away, and handed it to him.

"I have already finished it." She smiled.

He held it up to the light. "How do you do it?"

She gestured to the items in front of her. "It is not as hard as it looks, at least once you get used to it."

"Can you please show me?"

She nodded, and then reached out and grabbed a few items. "You need to pay careful attention. Though this is not hard, you still have to take care. We were taught that if something ever happened to us where we needed to make these then we must make sure that we work."

"If you are worried that something will happen to you down here-"

She cut him off. "No, I did not mean to imply that. Do you want to learn or not?"

"Of course."

"Then follow after me."

* * *

"You almost made it," she said. "You are almost as good as me."

"I have beaten you before!" He adjusted his quiver on his back.

"I have learned from my mistakes, dwarf. I would suggest that you do the same. Unless of course you do not mind me being the better of the two of us."

He smirked. "Is that a challenge?"

"It always has been."

"I only did badly because we could only use those arrows we made."

"You were the one who wanted to learn how to make them. If you keep practicing making them then you will be a master at it in no time."

"I have to make more?"

Tauriel snorted. "I cannot force you, but if you want to get better then you will just have to. It is a survival skill."

"I do not need those down here." He walked closer to her. "Everyone here is already dead."

Her stomach churned. "How wonderful."

* * *

"You said that there were no need for survival skills down here." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I do not need a bodyguard."

"But Tauriel-"

"Do you think I cannot hurt them myself? I can fight!" She clenched her fists together, so tight that they turned white. "I am no weakling!"

"I know you are not!" He sighed. "When you mentioned survival skills, I thought you meant that you thought you could die down here. You cannot."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, now that you are here-"

She put the palm of her hand to her chest. A "No" escaped her lips. "Kili, am I dead?"

He did not respond.

"Am I dead?" She felt for her wrist. There was no response, no pulse. She had been so busy, so stressed as of late that she had never bothered to check something so simply. Had she been so foolish as to take her life for granted?

The look on his face gave it away.

"How did I die, Kili? Did you kill me? When I was asleep, did someone hurt me?"

"No." He spoke so softly that she could hardly hear him.

"Then how did I die? Did you do this to me?" She clenched her fists once more. "Did you kill me, Kili? I want to know!"

He bit his lip. "Tauriel, the thing is-"

She was screaming. "Did you kill me? Did you kill me? Answer me! I need to know!"

Kili never did get to finish. Someone burst through the door, silencing even Tauriel. Both watched as a panting Thorin stood at the doorway, face red from both exhaustion and anger. His fists were clenched at his side.

"Tauriel," he said. "Someone has come to visit you."

* * *

He watched, eyes filled with envy as she ran up and hugged the two blond elves. Ever since she had heard the news, she had seemed to have forgotten that he even existed. His entire family stood beside him, all glaring at the elves. The stories he had heard about their prejudices when they were younger were true.

"Well, leave," Frerin suddenly said, his voice echoing throughout the stone room. "We do not want your scum here any longer then is needed."

The older looking of the two glared back. "It was such a delight to see you and your family here again. We will all miss you dearly." He turned to his son. "Legolas, we need to leave our loving guests now. Tauriel, do you need to get anything before you go?" His gaze turned from Thorin to Kili's other uncle.

Kili wanted to stop this somehow, but his mind went blank. She was going to leave, and there was nothing that he could do to stop it.

"She does not." Thorin put a hand on Kili's shoulder. "She is my nephew's."

"No!" Tauriel yelled. Her earlier happiness vanished. She stepped closer to the two blond elves. "No I am not! I would not even call that scum my friend."

Kili's eyes wondered over to Fili's. He just frowned at him.

But, he thought, what about our competitions? What about when we made arrows together? When they had done so, she had actually smiled at him, taught him step by step. What about after when he had comforted her, when she had allowed his comfort?

She turned on her heel, grabbing the arms of both of the elve's. "We should leave."

"No." A vein stuck out of Thorin's neck. "She is my nephew's!" He turned to face him, eyes blazing. "Did you get her to eat? Did you?"

"Yes."

His uncle smirked. "Well, that settles that. I knew that you could do it. I did say that some came to visit you, and this is getting a bit long. If one eats our food then they belong to our world and cannot leave."

Kili looked from his uncle's eyes to Tauriel's. Her mouth was open, her green eyes so wide that even from their distance he could see the whites easily. "Is that why you were so desperate to get me to eat?"

"Does that matter?" Thorin stepped away from the small group of dwarves. "Get back here this instant! You should consider yourself lucky that you even got to even see the treeshaggers at all."

"But we need her!" her friend said. "She works for my father-"

"Not any longer." He turned to Kili. "Are you just going to stand there well these damn elves take what is yours?"

Tauriel was glaring at him as well now. If he did not do something quickly, she would likely never forgive him.

"She does not need to stay." It came out barely above a whisper.

"Speak up."

Kili watched as she walked closer to the two elves. She did not look at either with hate. "She does not need to stay."

For a moment, everyone was silent. None of his family looked at him in the eye. It was only then that Kili noticed just how out of place Tauriel actually looked next to the elves. She was wearing one of the green robes Kili had given her, this one finally designed to fit her size. The silver runes threaded into the sides were clearly dwarven, her hair held back by silver clasps. Were it not for her size, hairless face, and pointed ears then she easily could have been mistaken for a dwarf.

"What are you saying, Kili?" Thorin screamed. "She is trying to leave!"

"She only ate six seeds-"

"If she ate a single crumb then she belongs here!" He gripped Kili's shoulders, his blue eyes cold. "After all that you did, you are letting her leave?"

"I had to leave to come get her, and I have eaten so much of our food. How is that fair?"

She struggled to meet him in the eye.

"Kili, you are different!"

"How?"

"Because you are in charge here. You have power. She is nothing but a so called immortal with the ability to die. Do you want her to leave?"

"No, at least not forever."

"What does that even mean?" Thorin squeezed his shoulders tighter. "Are you just going to let what is yours walk away?"

"Six months!" His scream echoed throughout the room. All eyes were directly on him again. "She needs to stay six months out of every year. She only ate six seeds."

"Kili, what are you saying?"

"Uncle Thorin, I am saying that she has a job to get to. The elves' claims are true. I am not saying she should leave forever. Can we not just compromise?"

"Compromise?"

Kili clenched his fists together. "This does not concern you, Uncle!"

His uncle gaped at him. After a few seconds, he stepped away, letting go of Kili. "Fine. Do as you please, on one condition."

"What?"

"She can stay six months as you like, but you are to lead these elves back home. I refuse to guide them any longer. Make your goodbyes."

Kili nodded. "If that is all."


	10. Chapter 10

Tauriel gathered her items in silence. The elves stood to the side, eying Kili's world. He stood to the side, watched everything he wanted fall apart. Tauriel did not so much as thank him for what he did. In only a few short minutes, she was ready to go. He swallowed the lump in his throat and told himself that this was six months, not forever.

But it seemed like the opposite.

* * *

As they walked, he kicked a few stones. They skittered off of the edge of the mountain before falling to the ground hundreds of miles below it. The silence was suffocating.

All three elves stood in a pack behind him. Tauriel had quickly changed clothes before leaving, her bow in her hand. She was looking down at the rocky path below her, not ahead. Her companion's eyes were cold, their hands behind their back.

The higher they went, the colder it got. Eventually, he could hear all three shivering. Without thinking, he handed his coat to Tauriel, and she took it. No emotion crossed her face, and no words left her lips, neither thanks or angry remarks. She put it on, even if it was too small for her. Her friend, the younger of the two blond elves, scowled at her, but said nothing. The other elf's eyes looked into his own. Even if Kili lived as long as he did, he never wanted to have the same look in his eyes.

After some time, he spoke. "I have dealt with your uncle before," he said. "He is still harder than the stone around him."

The entire group stopped and stared at him, none of them voicing their unspoken questions. He said nothing else on the subject.

Eventually, the two worlds met. Without realizing it, Kili had made it to Mirkwood without realizing it. The place truly had gotten darker. Bringing his bow had been a good idea; the spiders were even worse than before. He shot one in the eyes, and it lunged upward. He fired at where he guessed was its heart, and it fell to the ground dead.

When the other three got up, they all prepared their bows, except for the eldest, who appeared to have no weapon.

Tauriel wordlessly handed him his coat, and then prepared her bow. He considered telling her that it did not matter, that the spiders could no longer kill her, but the words never came to his lips.

* * *

Everything was exactly as she had left it. Her arrows were still spilled out on the floor of her room, her clothes (though covered in a slight layer of dust) were still in her closet, her bed still made, and her list of duties still written out on a piece of paper. If she felt the need to read, there was an elvish poetry collection on a small table near her bed, the piece of cloth she used to mark her page still inside.

Too bad that she had already read the rest back... Back there.

She buried the book as far as she could under her bed. Wiping off the dust of one of her older pairs of clothing, she changed. In there, she had worn her old clothes a lot, to the point where they were never washed. Now that she had other things that did not scream "him", she could finally allow herself to realize just how awful it smelled. She would have the servants wash it until it did not have even the slightest smell of dwarf.

A knock came on her door just after she changed. She nearly jumped out of her skin, but quickly composed herself. This was Mirkwood; this was home. This was not whatever that nightmare was. She unlocked the door, opening it to reveal her friend. He had not changed since the fight with the spider. His hands were held behind his back, his eyes distant.

"Hello," she said. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "What do you need?"

"Father asked me to invite you to dinner with you. He has a few things to explain to both of us."

She nodded.

"Do you need some time to prepare? I can wait a few minutes. For once he is not impatient."

"No, I am ready to go now." She walked out, closing the door behind her. Everything was the same, but everything was different. "Will there be wine?"

"He is my father; why would there not be?" He stiffened. "Wait, why would you want wine?"

She did not meet his eyes. "I need to speak to you privately. I will not drink it myself, but some of the things I want to say are things that your father should not hear."

* * *

Surprisingly, Thranduil hardly drank at all that night. It only added to the silence after he answered their questions. Tauriel's stomach was twisting into a knot. Half of her was not sure if her food would stay down. She had heard of that happening to others before, but had never thought it could happen to her. With her line of field, it was always important to stay at top health. The other half of her wanted to stuff herself, to pretend that if she ate enough she would never have to again. When she went down there again, she was sure that he would start pushing food towards her again.

"I am sorry," Thranduil said suddenly. His voice echoed throughout the hall. "I am so sorry. I am so sorry! I am so sorry!" Even if he had hardly drank, he sounded drunk.

Tauriel and Legolas listened in silence. When he finally stopped, the two got up and left. Legolas directed a servant to take him to bed.

* * *

"What did you wish to speak of?" Legolas leaned against a tree. He had his bow in one hand, a knife in the other.

She looked around for spiders, and once deemed the area safe, spoke. "He, he, Kili!" She had never said the name out loud to him before, and the event felt strange. Life changing in a way, even after everything else that had happened. "Kili, he hates you. I just want to warn you in case he ever tries something. He thinks we are, well, courting. Or more. I told him before that we are not, but I am not sure if he believed me. I do not want you getting hurt because of me."

His frown deepened. "I promise that I will keep my guard up."

"You swear?"

"By my line of rule, I swear."

Her stomach flopped inside of her chest, but one reassurance was better than none.

* * *

Kili stared up at his ceiling, listening to the people outside of his room continue their lives. No one had spoken to him since he had come back home. He had considered asking others what to do, such as Balin who had the answer to everything, or his mother Dis, who at least had some sense where his uncle Thorin did not. He had even considered speaking to his brother, but he had been unable to find him. For once, he was not angry that he was off with Ori. Fili had Ori. Kili? What did he have?

What had he been expecting? Declarations of love? Tauriel falling to tears? Forgiveness? At least something to loosen the empty feeling inside of him? Well, he was not getting any of that. All he got was the anxiety that came with waiting six months to try to put things back together? What had he been thinking? Time moved so differently where he was. Six months would feel like years. At least when she had stayed the days had passed faster, at least when she appeared to trust him. Ironically, once he observed the time, she had been there about six months before her rescue team came. Before all he wanted got taken away.

Had his uncle been correct? Should he have taken what he had and kept that for himself? What had he just agreed to?

But was it not better than nothing?

He nearly jumped five feet in the air when a knock came at his door. He quickly sat up and composed himself, then answered it. Fili stood before him, hands at his sides. He was not wearing any knit wear. Not one single scarf, mittens, or even a knit hat.

"Kili," his brother said. "I just came to check on you. How are you doing since what happened?"

"I am counting down the days." He clenched his fists as tight as he could. "I cannot wait until she comes back."

"I was wondering if you could join dinner with Uncle Thorin, Mother, Uncle Frerin, and Balin and Dwalin. Can you?"

Kili had to keep himself from nodding. "Tell Uncle Thorin that I am busy."

"What? What do you need to do now?"

Kili released his fists, pain rocketing through his hand. It was not as though it mattered; his hands would always recover. "I am busy, truly. There are arrows that I need to make."

"You can make arrows?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," he said. "I learned how to do it recently. I need to keep in practice."

"And you are willing to face Uncle Thorin's wrath over this?"

His nod was firm. "Of course."


End file.
